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Pop Forecast for Nov. 17 Hunger Games and more (with video)

Hunger Games sequel big event of the week

Postmedia News

Published: November 17, 2014 - 9:57 AM

Chris Lackner

“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” Bob Dylan sang. But these days, a guide through the seemingly endless flurry of pop culture offerings is just what we need. With that in mind, here is what’s on the radar screen in TV, music and film for the coming week.

• MOVIES

Big Release on Nov. 21: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1

Big Picture: Julianne Moore joins the franchise as District 13’s President Coin, who helps push Katniss into becoming the symbol of a growing rebellion against The Capital. (I’m hoping a couple of Ewoks make a franchise crossover to give the rebels a helping hand. They’re total pros when it comes to taking down evil empires.) Fans can expect the return of the dreamy Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth; Meanwhile, I can expect the return of daydreams involving Jennifer Lawrence falling in love with a humble journalist with zero survival instincts, while they’re being chased through the woods by murderous children, poisonous fog and killer bees … sigh). Part 1 of the finale hinges on Peta (Hutcherson) being turned into The Capital’s propaganda puppet, and Katniss’s (Lawrence) plan for his rescue. Can love — and a few choice crossbow arrows — save the day?

Forecast: Hollywood execs are starting to quiver in their fancy boots. The second-last Hunger Games, and still no true replacement young adult franchise in sight?! The original Hunger Games took the pain away from the end of Twilight (2012) and Harry Potter (2011). Despite countless film attempts with other novels, nothing has lived up to the colossal hype of these three mega series. My solution? Why not combine them? A “new” series about oppressed vampire child wizards, set in a dystopian future in which they’re annually forced to battle each other to the death on broomsticks in a domed Quidditch pitch – while simultaneously evading hormonal, shirtless werewolves. Ka-ching.

Katherine Heigl as Charleston Tucker in the new show State of Affairs.

• TV

Big Event: State of Affairs (Nov. 17, NBC/Global)

Big Picture: It’s an early Christmas miracle! Someone found a cast of actors actually willing to work with the notorious Katherine Heigl! The former TV star (Grey’s Anatomy) turned floundering movie star is slinking back to the small screen as a top-ranking CIA agent Charleston Tucker. She is tasked with providing the president (Alfre Woodard) a daily threat assessment — essentially a daily list of the greatest dangers facing the county, from terrorist threats to international crises. At night Tucker mainly has ill-advised, one-night stands to cope with the loss of her true love. (If Bill Clinton was still president, she could have accomplished all her objectives at the same meeting).

Forecast: Tucker’s fallen fiancé happened to also be the president’s son, and they are both bent on pay back against those who took his life. So this series’ is essentially Homeland meets West Wing meets Revenge (with a shade of Knocked Up). The only question is whether Heigl will get revenge on those critics who think that her career is flatlining.

The box set for The Art of McCartney, a celebration of the music of Paul McCartney, available November 18.

Forecast: I’m predicting a future Ringo Star tribute album by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Kesha, One Direction, Nickelback, Justin Bieber and Maroon 5. Miley would be all over Ringo’s 1973 single, Devil Woman. The cover art could even feature her twerking across Abbey Road.

Dishonourable Mention: One Direction (Four). I believe this album title refers to either average age — or IQ — of this groups’ fans. Then again, maybe I’m just jealous that I don’t have this band’s millions, three wildly successful concert movies under my belt, and adoring fans across the world. (Still, I would pay good money to see Harry Styles and company entered into the Hunger Games).